FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – It’s been almost two weeks since the New England Revolution announced the signing of veteran defender Michael Mancienne, but the 30-year-old center back is finally set to arrive in Foxborough on Wednesday with all the necessary documents acquired.
Mancienne has received both his international transfer certificate and U.S. P-1 Visa, allowing him to be officially added to the Revolution’s roster for the final 11 games of the regular season.
A veteran of the English Premier League, Bundesliga, and English Championship, Mancienne is expected to train with his new teammates for the first time on Thursday morning and could potentially be ready to feature by Sunday evening when the Revs will visit D.C. United at Audi Field (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1).
Mancienne will aim to provide a spark to a Revolution side that has struggled for results in recent weeks despite largely positive performances, plagued consistently by defensive mistakes at key junctures, particularly on set pieces.
A former captain at Nottingham Forest and a physical presence at 6-foot-1, Mancienne could provide some stability in that area, although head coach Brad Friedel has reiterated several times that Mancienne will need to earn his time on the field once he arrives in New England.
“Michael will provide leadership,” Friedel said on Tuesday afternoon. “He’s been a captain at various clubs he’s been at and he’s played at the highest levels, so he’ll absolutely know what it means to win. He’ll certainly know what it means to lose, so yes, he’ll add some help in that department.”
